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Novell Releases Ximian's Build Buddy

Posted by timothy on from the do-it-all dept.

BB maintainer Dan Mills writes "The Ximian Build System, Build Buddy, is now available to the community. This is a very exciting moment, and one that many of us at Ximian have been hoping would come. Build Buddy is a cross-platform packaging system designed with flexibility, reproducibility, and automation in mind. It features: support for producing RPM, Deb, and SD (HP-UX) packages; a testing/package verification framework; Red Carpet integration; command-line and Web interfaces; support for remote build scheduling via XML-RPC; reproducible build environments (chroot jails); and flexible XML package metadata description. Sound interesting? Visit primates.ximian.com/~thunder/bb for other documentation and links. We are very interested in starting a user and developer community around BB. Feel free to contact us via the mailing lists if you have any questions."

12 of 29 comments (clear)

  1. shop and compare by 4of12 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'd be curious to know how buildbuddy compares to other tools like autoconf, automake, and gentoo's portage system.

    --
    "Provided by the management for your protection."
    1. Re:shop and compare by Directrix1 · · Score: 2, Funny

      One way to find out:
      emerge buildbudy --pretend

      --
      Occam's razor is the blind faith in the natural selection of least resistance and in universal oversimplification. -- EF
    2. Re:shop and compare by v_thunder · · Score: 2, Informative

      BB is not an autotools replacement. Its primary purpose is packaging.

      A typical setup to build something with BB will use autotools, or MakeMaker, or whatever the module requires to prepare, build, and install.

      As for the portage system, I have not looked at it much, but I think that it should not be hard to add support to BB for gentoo's binary packages.

      HTH,
      -Dan

  2. Are you serious? by Cecil · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A build system with the objective of being less arcane than autoconf? HOORAY!

    Seriously though, build systems is one place where, despite all its bugs and shortcomings, Microsoft Visual Studio kicks the shit out of autoconf/jam/whatever else. It's not cross platform nor very configurable, admittedly, but as far as ease of use goes it is in an entirely different universe from standard UNIX build systems.

    Hopefully Build Buddy can strike a decent balance between ease of use and configurability. I'm looking forward to checking it out.

    --
    Random and weird software I've written.
    1. Re:Are you serious? by saden1 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Huh? Are you talking about compiling or building a distribution package?

      You have to use MSI build tool to package your application for windows platform now (safest and best method according to MS) and VS has a crappy packaging tool. And if you have ever used one of the commercial MSI build tools you know it is not easy. I must say though that Wise Installer is one of the best out there but its flexibility leaves much to be desired. Still, it is better than InstallShield but still pain in the ass if you want to do complex stuff.

      --

      -----
      One is born into aristocracy, but mediocrity can only be achieved through hard work.
    2. Re:Are you serious? by be-fan · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You've obviously never used SCONS.

      --
      A deep unwavering belief is a sure sign you're missing something...
    3. Re:Are you serious? by zulux · · Score: 3, Informative

      You've obviously never used SCONS.

      I second that: SCONS kicks ass!!!

      More info: here

      --

      Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.

    4. Re:Are you serious? by Haeleth · · Score: 3, Informative

      Microsoft Visual Studio kicks the shit out of autoconf

      Apples and oranges. The whole PURPOSE of autoconf is to compile code on multiple disparate platforms. If you're only writing for one platform, you'd be an idiot to use autoconf. And if you're using Visual Studio, you're only writing for one platform - by definition.

    5. Re:Are you serious? by dominic.laporte · · Score: 2, Interesting

      see also phing

  3. your buddy by Spy+Hunter · · Score: 2, Funny
    Yes, the folks at Ximian are so enamored of monkeys that they made "Build Buddy", a purple bonobo that wants to be your software development friend.

    He talks to you!
    He can search the Internet for you!
    He can write your Makefiles!
    He will give you helpful hints on your compile errors!
    He can tell jokes!
    He will remind you to document your code!
    He knows lots of trivia questions about C++ syntax!
    Best of all, he's FREE!
    Download your very own "Build Buddy" and make a new friend today!

    Note for stupid people: the preceeding was entirely made up.

    --
    main(c,r){for(r=32;r;) printf(++c>31?c=!r--,"\n":c<r?" ":~c&r?" `":" #");}
  4. But... by Mikkeles · · Score: 2, Funny
    "It features: support for producing RPM, Deb, and SD (HP-UX) packages; a testing/package verification framework; Red Carpet integration; command-line and Web interfaces; support for remote build scheduling via XML-RPC; reproducible build environments (chroot jails); and flexible XML package metadata description."

    But can it read mail?

    --
    Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
    1. Re:But... by v_thunder · · Score: 2, Informative

      It cannot read mail, sorry. But it can send it :-)

      -Dan